Well, not really. Trump’s insults of Schumer were insipid and unworthy. But surely there must be a middle ground between that name-calling and “Chuck and Nancy,” as Trump was referring to Pelosi and Schumer after a meeting today where he threw the GOP leadership over board and agreed to the Democrats’ proposal for a 3-month deal on the debt limit and funding of the government.
This will give the Democrats leverage to push for concessions at the end of the year (including DACA untethered to enforcement measures) and complicate the job of the GOP leadership when it’s trying to focus on the Herculean task of passing tax reform. This comment, via Axios, from “a Republican close to leadership” may be too dire, but you get the drift:
“Dems bluffed their way into total victory. They win the politics of DACA and leverage on debt in the winter. The fate is sealed – DACA will be reauthorized without strings, Schumer has inserted himself into all negotiations in the winter, including tax, spending and immigration.”
Trump’s comments a little while ago on Air Force One weren’t highly encouraging if you hope DACA will be combined with serious enforcement provisions: “Chuck and Nancy would like to see something happen, and so do I.”
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